The government has initiated a review of the Telecommunication Network and Licensing Guidelines 2025 following objections from local firms over alleged foreign bias in market access and investment provisions.
The policy, formulated in September last year under the interim government, aimed to simplify the telecom ecosystem by reducing licensing layers to three. Despite that intent, it quickly drew criticism.
Information and Broadcasting Adviser Jahir Uddin Swapan said a review is underway and a joint cluster has been formed involving the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.
He said the process is at a final stage and changes to several contentious provisions are expected soon.
At the centre of the debate is a provision allowing companies with up to 65 per cent foreign ownership to operate across all layers of the telecom ecosystem. This enables foreign-backed mobile operators to expand beyond retail services into infrastructure segments such as tower management and fibre network development.
Critics say the provision creates an uneven playing field. Local firms, particularly small and medium enterprises, say they are not being granted similar opportunities. Tower and National Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) licence holders are restricted from entering international segments such as submarine cable operations.
Industry insiders warn such limits could weaken local players and make it harder to compete with multinational operators, increasing the risk of market concentration and reduced competition.
Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) President Aminul Hakim called for major revisions, citing inconsistencies in the framework. He questioned the classification of Access Network Service operators into cellular operators and Fixed Telecom Service Providers, saying the latter term is not internationally recognised and could create confusion.
He also opposed allowing mobile operators to enter fixed broadband services using fibre networks, warning it could undermine existing providers. “Fixed broadband services should remain within the domain of ISP operators,” he said.
Hakim highlighted the absence of a clear framework for active infrastructure sharing, saying proper rules could reduce costs, improve service quality, and enhance network efficiency.
ISPAB proposed introducing “triple play” services combining internet, television, and voice through a single connection, improving efficiency and consumer convenience.
It also called for better use of the Social Obligation Fund to expand broadband in rural areas and for recognising the ISP sector as an IT-enabled service industry to attract investment.
Robi Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer Shahedul Alam said the company supports reviewing the policy but stressed that its positive aspects should be retained. He said the framework simplified a previously complex system that required navigating multiple licensing layers.
However, he cautioned against restrictions on foreign investment, noting the sector is capital-intensive.
“Such decisions should ideally be handled by financial regulators rather than telecom licensing policies,” he said.
As the review nears completion, stakeholders are watching for changes that could reshape competition, investment, and service quality in Bangladesh’s telecom sector.
